Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1887-12-22
WASHINGTON LETTER.
(From our regular correspondentD

WASHINGTON, ID. c., Dee. 10. 1887.
Congress, although in session two weeks,
has rs yet accomplished very little work,
mainly for the reason that Speaker Carlisle,
owing to the unusual pressure brought TO
bear upon him for choice committee places,
has been obliged to defer the appointment
of his COMMITTEES until after the holiday re-
cess, which will be from Dec. 22 till Jan. 1,
The only really important committee thus
far organized is that on Elections, which,
for reasons personal 10 himself Mr.. Carlisle
requested the House To appoint, one of its
duties being 10 decide the issue between
Carlisle and Thobe. Apparently there is mo
good cause for a contest, still as one has been
instituted by the misguided labor reformer,
so called, il must be disposed of according
to the forms of law. There can be little
doubt of the validity of the Kentucky
statesman's claim TO his seat.
1t is already evident that much of the
time of Congress during the present session
will be uselessly consumed in the discussion
of purely political questions but on the eve
Va W udl 10 uCSlluCNl W OuC VI lllC ihOSA IN
citing and closely contested Presidential
campaigns in the country's history, this is,
perhaps, unavoidable. The first political
tirade was delivered, without the slightest
provocation, in the House by the Republi-
can leader, Mr.. Reed, of Maine, being a
rather feeble and flatulent arraignment ofthe
| Democracy on the tariff question. However
few ringing sentences from Messrs Cox,
and Hatch sufficed TO effectually silence the
batteries of the burly Boanerges of the Re
publican party.
In the Senate that notorious champion
of fraud and vote stealer, "Bill" Chandler,
has presented an indictment against four
sovereign States-South Carolina, Florida,
Mississippi and Louisiana-proposing to
regulate their Congressional elections,
through the medium of Federal interven-
tion Chandler's idea of regulating elec-
tions was exemplified by the Republican
rape of electoral votes of three of these same
States in the canvass of 1S76-T, and Bill
realizes that the support of these common
alities is necessary for Republican success
next year. But Chandler will get nothing
but little cheap political capital out of his
partisan resolution.
Probably the Senate bill that will excite
the most interest and discussion is that CT
Senator Cullom, providing for the United
States Postal Telegraph, appropriating four
million dollars for that purpose and desig-
mating a number of principal cities of
the country to be connected by the proposed
lines it also provides for the appointment
and regulations of the employees of the Postal
Telegraph.
The in dications are that there is some
opposition to the confirmation of Mr.. La
mars nomination, but not enough to defeat
it. 1t is hardly probable that the matter
will be taken up until after the holiday re-
cess then the three most important nomin-
ations will be acted upon in their regular
order-Lamar, Villas and Dickinson,
The recent reception in this city of two
distinguished Irish members of the british
Parliament, was an nimpressivedemonstra
of American natiosal sympathy for the suf-
ferings of Ireland, and fitting expression was
given to this feeling by the eloquent Utter
ances Of several prominent congressman.